Rüdiger Schwarz leads since his return from China in 2018 Volkswagen’s patent department dealing with vehicle and powertrain. Besides creation of patents and portfolio matters he specializes in IP questions in M&A matters.

After his studies of mechanical engineering at the Technische Hochschule Darmstadt he started in 1990 his professional career in the patent department of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. As an inhouse patent attorney he took first the European Qualifying Exam and thereafter the German patent attorney exam. During this time, he gained experience in different technical fields of the automotive industry, design protection and licensing. In 2014 he joined Volkswagen AG and took over the local patent department of Volkswagen (China) in Beijing.

In LES Germany he leads the working group Automotive and was recently elected as a member of the board.